


I’ve Got Your Back

by Lizzy_Writes



Category: Z Nation (TV)
Genre: 10K is a good brother, Addy needs her family, Found Family, Gen, Siblings, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 17:39:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19361557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizzy_Writes/pseuds/Lizzy_Writes
Summary: Not long after the election, George sends Addy and 10K to help set up a new outpost. Things don’t go exactly as planned, thanks to Addy coming down with the flu, but at least she’s got her brother looking out for her.





	I’ve Got Your Back

**Author's Note:**

> Look who’s finally back! I’m finally starting to get through my tumblr ZN requests; so if you sent me one, you should be seeing it in the foreseeable future! (I’m sorry it’s taking me so long. Writer’s block was kicking my ass for a while but I think I’m finally inspired again).

“...Us?” Addy asked George in disbelief, “‘Us’ as in me and 10K ‘us’? You want me and 10K to be in charge of setting up a new outpost?”

“Why not you and 10K?”

“Well, I mean, were not really the nation building types...” 

“You won’t be alone; there are already some people helping to set everything up, I just need people I know I can trust in charge. People I know will get done what needs to get done.”

“What makes you think we’ll get done what needs to get done?” Addy grinned, before becoming a little more serious, “...You’re still worried about Estes’ followers, aren’t you?”

“...I just... Need some ‘tear shit up’ types in charge. Just in case.” George was worried. Estes was still alive, still living in Altura — guarded, yes, but still potentially dangerous.

“Could’ve led with that,” Addy said. Tear shit up in the event of sabotage she could do — especially with 10K at her side. “We’re on it.”

It had been a month since Estes was brought down, since the vote was finally held; giving the Talkers the rights they deserved and were entitled to. Although Addy had insisted to Doc that she would be on the road again, helping people and Talkers, she hadn’t left Altura. It felt too good to be back with Operation Bitemark. Her family. She couldn’t bring herself to leave again; and now, apparently, she was going to help build Newmerica. 

She and 10K were on the road together three days later, heading to the newest outpost of Newmerica. 

Addy had been abnormally quiet the entire day; not that 10K minded, he never minded it quiet, but it did concern him. He was quiet by nature, but Addy wasn’t. Not with him, she loved talking with — and annoying — him. 

“...Hey, you okay?” he asked after about an hour of driving with very few words from his adoptive sister. 

“Huh?” Addy moved her head from the passenger side window to look at him, “Yeah. Fine. Just... tired, I guess.”

“You sure? ‘Cause you don’t look great...”

“Gee, thanks.” 

“You know what I mean.”

“I’m fine, 10K. ...Thanks, though,” she gave him a small smile; it’d been a long time since she had someone around to check up on her. 

The truth was that she wasn’t fine; she was going on her second day of what she suspected was the flu, and there was nothing she’d rather do than curl up in bed like she would’ve done pre-Z when she was sick; but she wasn’t going to do that. She never let herself rest; resting meant letting your guard down, and she wouldn’t do that. ...Couldn’t do that. She got enough sleep to function and that was it. She could work through this; she’d done it before. She just needed 10K to believe she was okay and leave her alone. 

10K didn’t try to get her to talk again after that, though he became increasingly worried about her. She didn’t seem like herself; and he couldn’t tell if she was sick or depressed, but either way he knew she wasn’t okay, and that she’d never admit it on her own. 

By the time they arrived at the new, unnamed outpost it was already night. Addy had been asleep a few hours, and if 10K was honest, he could use some sleep, too. 

They were welcomed with open arms when they explained that George had sent them, and were immediately given a room to share for the night.  
The inside of the long-abandoned building was surprisingly pre-Z in appearance; especially for the short amount of time those who had already been there had had to work on it. It seemed... almost home-like, just like Altura. 

They collapsed on the single mattress that was on the floor, and lying back to back with his adoptive sister, 10K could feel the abnormal heat radiating from her, confirming that there was, indeed, something wrong with her.

“Addy,” he whispered, “...You sick?”

“‘m fine... I told you...” Addy muttered in what was probably meant to be an irritated tone, but really just sounded exhausted. 

“...You sure? ‘Cause you feel like you’ve got a fever...”

“I’m fine, 10K... I just wanna sleep, alright?”

“...Okay,” he sighed, thinking that maybe if she slept she’d be better in the morning. ...Which was exactly what she was hoping for as well. 

However, this hope was quickly given up when Addy spent the night getting only half an hour of sleep at a time, waking up constantly to cough or shaking from fever, and despite her best efforts to hide her suffering, every time she woke up, so did 10K. 

He wanted to help her, but he knew that she’d resist it and end up getting even less sleep than she was already, so he pretended to sleep through it. 

By the time morning came, Addy felt even worse than she had the previous two days, and looked as bad as she felt. However, she wouldn’t admit to that. Not even to 10K. Not while there was work she needed to do. 

“10K,” she whispered, shaking the young man’s shoulder gently, “Wake up, we gotta build a country.”

“Mmm... I’m up... I’m up,” he groaned, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He was exhausted, thanks to Addy keeping him up all night, but he pushed that aside, not wanting to get on his sister’s bad side — or make her feel guilty about it, seeing as it wasn’t really her fault. 

They worked through the day, feeling rather mundane in the almost pre-z normalcy of the outpost; though that didn’t stop Addy from getting worse. By the time they were finished for the day, she felt like she might pass out at any moment, and she looked it, too.

10K didn’t say anything, but he made sure to be close to her side, ready to catch her if she did collapse. She noticed this, but didn’t resist it, secretly happy that she had someone looking out for her, even if she wouldn’t admit that out loud. 

10K was about to suggest that they go to bed, prepared to convince his sister that he needed to sleep and needed her with him to feel safe; which wasn’t entirely a lie, though it was a trick to get her to rest herself, when someone ran into the main hall of the building they were in shouting, “Zombies at the gate!”

“That’s our cue,” Addy said with a grin to 10K. As awful as she felt, she did always enjoy a good zombie fight. 

“...You sure you’re up to this?” 10K asked, not able to hide his worry any longer, now that she would be in real danger. 

“I’m fine,” she said in a slightly annoyed tone, “Come on.”

He nodded hesitantly and the two ran to the gate, where Zombies were starting to make their way through; something that 10K hadn’t seen since the attack on Altura. It was clearly meant as sabotage; evidently George had been right to worry about Estes’ remaining followers. 

“Just like old times!” Addy grinned as she penetrated the skull of a Z with her Z-Whacker. 10K returned her grin in spite of himself; even after all the horror they’d experienced, the two still enjoyed fighting Z’s. 

They fought for upwards of ten minutes, a few others joining them as they all tried to keep the zombies at bay, before 10K noticed how Addy seemed to barely have the strength to raise her weapon. 

“Addy?” He called over to her as he shot two Z’s in the head, “You good?”

“I’m fine!” She shouted, swinging her Z-Whacker into the side of zombie’s head, “Why do you keep asking that?!”

“I’m not an idiot, Addy! I know you’re sick! I don’t know why you won’t let me help you, though!”

“‘Cause I’m the one who’s supposed to take care of you! I’m older; I’m basically your sister; I’m supposed to take care of you!” 

“Well, you might be older, but I’m stronger. At least right now,” 10K said, now back to back with Addy, “You gotta let me help you, too.” 

The woman didn’t respond, and for a minute, 10K thought she was just angry and deciding that ignoring him would be easier than arguing, but then he felt her back leaning heavily into his before she completely collapsed against him. 

“Addy?!” he turned around just quick enough to catch her, holding her half-upright, his arms holding her under her armpits; her head falling limply against his chest. “Shit!”

“Get her out of here!” a voice called from somewhere within the pack of Z’s, and 10K didn’t hesitate another second before hoisting his surrogate sister over his shoulder, grabbing her weapon off the ground and rushing to get her out of harm’s way.  
________________

When she woke up again, Addy realized, before she even opened her eye, that every muscle in her body ached as if she’d just run a marathon. She let out a soft groan and slowly blinked open her eye. A glance around the room confirmed that she was in the infirmary which she’d helped set up yesterday. Something she now realized was a bit ironic.

“Hey, you’re awake,” a young man’s voice said softly, making her jump and sit upright, reaching for her weapon, which wasn’t at her side, before she turned to see who had spoken and realized it was 10K. “Asshole!” she said, punching his arm, though she was smiling slightly. 

“Sorry,” he smirked a little, “Should’ve sat on the side with peripheral vision.” 

She shook her head a little before putting a hand to it, realizing how much it was throbbing. 

“Lay down,” 10K said, helping her ease herself back on the cot. 

“...What happened?” Addy asked, looking up at her surrogate brother. 

“You passed out,” he said in a more serious and worried tone than she’d ever heard him use with her, “Your fever got really bad while we were fighting those Z’s at the gate; I had to carry you back here. ...Why didn’t you tell me you were so sick?”

“...I don’t know,” she said softly, “Maybe I’ve just been alone too long... Forgot how to let people help me. ...I’m sorry.”

“...It’s okay,” he said, giving her a small smile. He understood; that was how he’d felt when he first joined Delta X-ray, “Just... let me help you next time. I mean... you’re always helping me.”

“Okay,” she nodded a little and gave him a small smile, “As long as you promise not to tell everyone; I hate having lots of people fuss over me.”

“You got it,” he smiled a little, “...Addy?”

“Yeah?”

“...You really think of me as your brother?”

“Yeah,” she gave him a small smile, “Always have.” It was true; since he’d joined the group all those years ago she’d always felt protective of him.

The young man smiled and leaned down to wrap his arms around her in a tight hug, her sitting up a little to meet him half-way. “...Me too,” he said so softly it was almost a whisper.

Addy just smiled and held him close to her, pressing a reassuring kiss to the side of his head. 

“...You should get some sleep,” 10K said after a minute, pulling away from his sister. “I’ll stay. ...’Course you might not see me when you wake up, Cyclops,” he added with a smirk. 

“Real nice, Captain Hookless,” Addy chuckled as she laid down, pulling the blanket tight around her shoulders, shivering a little. 

The boy frowned and placed his hand on her upper arm, massaging it a little to try and warm her up and maybe ease the muscle aches. 

“I’m okay, 10K,” she said with a small smile, “It’s just the flu.”

“I know, but I still don’t like seeing you like this.”

“...Thanks,” she smiled a little more.

“I got your back,” he gave her a slight smile, “Get some sleep. I’ll make sure you’re okay.”

She nodded slightly and closed her eye, feeling better than she had in years, despite how sick she was. She finally had her family back; and she hadn’t felt safer than she did right now, with her surrogate brother watching over her.


End file.
